Palazzo Vecchio, War of Pisa “The Lifting of the Siege of Livorno by the Emperor of the Holy Empire Maximilian I of Austria” by Giorgio Vasari and Giovanni Battista Naldini, Hall of the Five Hundred in Florence in Italy

Fresco - Water Pigments (7,60 x 6.10 metres) 1568-1571

This scene painted by Giorgio Vasari and Giovanni Battista Naldini appears in the central fresco of the wall dedicated to Pisa's war in the Five Hundred Hall of Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.

War of Pisa, The Lifting of the Siege of Livorno by the Emperor of the Holy Empire Maximilian I of Austria, by Giorgio Vasari and Giovanni Battista Naldini, Hall of the Five Hundred in Palazzo Vecchio, Florence Italy

Siege of Livorno It relates to the lifting of the siege of Livorno by the Emperor of the Holy Empire Maximilian I of Austria in November 1496.

Maximilian I, assisted by other Italian states, Venice, Genoa and Milan, had come in person to support the Pisans in their war against the Florentines by attacking the port's strong square Livorno.

The port of Livorno was attacked both on the land side and maritime by a fleet composed of imperial, Venetian and Genoese galleys and ships, as can be seen on the flags depicted in the fresco.

It should be noted here that the Florentines were supported by the French, whose ships had ample supply them with wheat, food and ammunition to resist the imperial siege.

This support of Florence by France mainly decided Maximilian of Austria to support Pisa against Florence.

But the terrestrial attack directed by the condottiere Galeazzo Sanseverino was unsuccessfully against the city’s fortifications, nor did it manage to starve the besieged ones who resisted without difficulty the repeated assaults.

Emperor Maximilian the first arrived on board a Genoese ship.

Siege of Livorno Unfortunately, on his arrival, both the Genoese and Venetian ships were caught in a terrible storm that smashed most of them against the coast's rocks while the others were shipwrecked before they could even reach it.

These boats intended to attack the port of Livorno on the sea part also transported a large part of the troops, weapons, guns and ammunition destined for the siege.

Faced with the sinking of almost all of his fleet and losses in men and equipment, coupled with the Florentine fortress's resistance, the emperor decided to lift the siege of Livorno, which Vasari represented in this fresco.

At the bottom and on the left, we see the Emperor of the Holy Empire Maximilian I riding on horseback while the troops putting in order of march withdraw.

On the top, Vasari depicted the port of Livorno during the sinking of the enemy fleet being the first cause of the lifting of the siege.

Siege of Livorno